


Laughter and Luck

by Firaflyes



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Budding Love, Could Be Canon, F/M, Gen, Implied Relationships, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:54:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26316013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firaflyes/pseuds/Firaflyes
Summary: Katie is feeling down so George tries to cheer her up; after the war, in her own way, she attempts to do the same. Submitted for the weekly writing prompt at the Pensieve group I'm in. Based on how I wrote Katie in groups on InsaneJournal. Could be taken as Canon but otherwise AU if characters are shipped.
Relationships: Katie Bell/George Weasley
Kudos: 3





	Laughter and Luck

Every week, the Harry Potter group I'm in offers three writing prompts. This week was to write about a non-Canon pairing of our choice. When the site decided not to post my submission before the deadline, I attempted to use screenshots to enter and decided to bring the full story here. Copied in full, with any mistakes as made, including a portion after the stars which was not screenshot in time. Might just copy my entries each week to see how I'm progressing; not sure. Any constructive criticism is welcome. Thank you.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

**LAUGHTER AND LUCK**

It was a known fact that Katie Bell was either jinxed or just had terrible bad luck. At least, that’s the word which had spread by her Fifth Year. If a bludger didn’t knock her during Quidditch or Peeves made her a weekly target for his antics then she was in the Hospital Wing with the mumblemumps – if not some other affliction. The days she found herself on the wrong side of Lady Luck were unfortunate enough without having to hear about it from her classmates, which is why Katie hid the letter from her dad between her books when Fred, George, and Lee Jordan joined her for breakfast in the Great Hall. She would rather enjoy her last few days before being called home instead of enduring harassment for not attending the upcoming Yule Ball.

“What’cha got there, Bell?” asked Fred as he reached across the table.

“One of those Durmstrang sods actually attempt a love letter?” George chimed in.

Katie managed to drag the pile just out of reach, though it took another few minutes of banter to change the subject including Lee lamenting over Angelina choosing Fred over him.

“I can be grand! I’ve asked her out over my commentary since Second Year! You must have snuck a dubious potion into one of your confections and fed it to her!”

The twins both stood in an affronted – as well as overly dramatic – manner.

“How DARE you, sir!”  
“We would NEVER!”

Katie chose to focus on her rasher and pudding as the boys put on a display for the student body, including the group of gullible first years sitting shortly down the way. It was decided that a test group of 'impartial peers' would be needed to end the argument, with only two of them as proctors as Lee wanted to keep an eye on just one 'Weasley rapscallion' at a time. He and Fred scampered off toward the Hufflepuff table while George returned to his seat on the bench opposite Katie. “So,” she inquired. “How long have you lot been planning this one?”

“Since last night. Lee tried to smother Fred with a pillow for a minute, but he’s not really upset,” he answered between mouthfuls of potato. “We’re all going as mates anyway.” Before she could reply, he pointed a loaded fork at her books. “Did your date invite you with poetry?”

Now that they were alone, Katie noticed how intently he was staring at the letter. There would be no deterring him. She knew George could take a hint, but he also seemed to have a gentler spirit than his twin. It was one of the things she liked about him. Fred often toed the line of cruelty too closely while George knew exactly when to pull back. Feeling a little more secure in this conviction, Katie offered him the barest of truth while poking at the last of her meal. “No. I’m not going with anyone.” Even though she trusted him, George didn’t need to know Bradley from the Ravenclaw team had asked her – especially since she would have to rescind her acceptance – nor that this could be the last Christmas with her gran – which was the news in the letter and the reason she would be going home.

Bad luck, indeed.

She glanced at him quick enough to see if he caught her frowning only to watch him regard her with an odd look, though he hastily shrugged and looked away. “Pity. I can’t wait to see you in a dress for once. …You, Angelina and Alicia, that is.” He fumbled with a pastry and Katie swore she saw red appear at the base of his neck to match the heat rising in her cheeks; she despised feeling embarrassed. “You three never wear anything but slacks when out of uniform.”

“That’s because we let you boys hang around us.”

“Are you implying we would be untoward toward you?!” said George, his eyebrows raised quite high. Katie was unable to tell how serious he was, not that she could read him better most days. Both he and Fred were brilliant actors when they wanted to be.

“Well….” she admitted, deciding to offer him an unwarranted benefit of the doubt. “Maybe not you.” His grin unnerved her, though not in a creepy way, just enough to make her mind race for something to shift the conversation. “A-although I have heard rumor you’re taking no less than three Beauxbaton’s girls to the Ball.”

George laughed aloud; she found the sound lifted her spirits, much like he always did. “I like that one! Who ratted me out? Warrington? He’s just jealous.”

Several gasps toward the high table interrupted their conversation right as George seemed eager to ask her another question. Four tiny first year Hufflepuffs sprouted feathers as yellow as their robes with the fifth continuing to extreme measures. The poor girl’s friends nervously flapping around Fred and Lee invoked a flock of baby chickens. George hastily jumped from his seat to intervene.

“Must have added too much to a canary cream. I’d better go help.” He stopped about three steps down to turn back and lean over the table at Katie with a playful wink. “You’ll save a dance for me, right? Got to make sure someone shows you off properly between showboating for the Beauxbaton ladies.”

Immediately after he left, Katie grabbed her things and fled the Great Hall, not staying long enough to see the outcome of the commotion nor let her mind wander off down paths of delusion. George was just being his cheeky self; doing his best to get a rise out of her. Or maybe, she thought while gripping tightly to the letter, he had noticed her sullen mood and only wanted to make her smile. Though he had laughed at her only a minute ago, she swore to intentionally cheer him up someday when the roles were reversed.

* * * * * * * * * * 

Five-odd years later, they found their chances at Harry and Ginny’s wedding. With photos taking longer than expected, especially since Oliver could not stop talking Quidditch with his former teammates while they stood waiting beside the happy couple and Angelina was focused on trying to shut his gob, Katie took it into her own hands to speed things along – especially when the dull ache behind George’s eyes became apparent, despite his best efforts. This was, after all, his first real outing since the battle and the loss of Fred.

“OIY! Ron! Demelza!”, she found herself shouting, surprising herself just as much as the others. “They called for the Quidditch teammates five minutes ago. Let’s go!” Though only one group at a time had been intended, any remaining members of the Gryffindor teams from when Harry and Ginny had played were soon in front of the camera, including Dean Thomas who had only played a short time. McGonagall even jumped in, claiming her hand in securing Potter’s position as well as being a player in her day. Katie knew the older woman had understood her intentions when she felt a comforting pat on her shoulder just as Charlie stepped behind her and George, telling his brother he felt left out.

She did her best to sneak off as soon as the picture was taken but felt George bump into her only a short distance away. “You didn’t have to do that, Kates,” he said, giving her the half-hearted smile which was his normal now that Fred was gone. Referring to a residual pain she had from her encounter with a cursed opal necklace, he gestured down toward her legs, “Unless you needed to sit down?”

“No, I’m fine,” she insisted, dismissing the concern in his voice. She stopped walking when he did and noticed his head was tilted so she could slightly see the hole where his ear had been, his eyes still focused toward the ground. Her arms folded defensively over her chest as she reiterated, “Stop mothering. I said I’m alright ….What’s so interesting?”

George shook his head and looked back up. If she wasn’t mistaken, there was a bit more light behind his eyes now. “If that’s the truth, then do you mind helping me? Mum’s been on my case about enjoying myself. I was thinking of one dance then cutting out….”

The moment was awkward for both of them, considering his mood and her luck at being quite clumsy at times. Still, with his hand held out to her as it was, she found it difficult to refuse. “Just one,” agreed Katie, squeezing his hand as they moved toward the outskirts of the dance floor.

“Thanks.” A long-lost optimism seemed to sneak into George’s tone and even the beginnings of a smirk curved at the corner of his mouth. “Besides, I need to show you off... since you’re finally in a dress.”

Although it wasn’t intentional on her part, Katie’s heart felt truly happy to hear George laugh again - even with half as much power as before the war - at the sour expression on her face.

#Hufflepuff #RoseGoldDragon #EveryDayImHufflin


End file.
